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[webfact]

NCPO will issue order to tackle human trafficking

  

BANGKOK, 19 August 2016 (NNT) - The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will issue an order to take bold action against government officers who have been involved in human trafficking. 

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam on Thursday announced the results of a meeting on human trafficking. He said the meeting discussed problems about law enforcement in human trafficking cases and followed up on the progress of the government’s efforts to combat the crime. 

The deputy PM said the meeting was acknowledged that human trafficking cases in 2014 were all closed and only 10% of human trafficking cases in 2015 were left. The rest were in the indictment process. 

The government was determined to take action against government officers involved in human trafficking, the deputy PM added. The officers would be punished in line with Section 157 and the NCPO’s order to be issued in the next two days, said Mr. Wissanu. 

 

-- nnt 2016-08-19

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The biggest human trafficking case in the South that related to the dead bodies and hidden camps and such -- and had various government officials among the accused -- has gone nowhere over the past months, at least according to media reports.

 

More broadly, try to find any news report of cases during the 2014 or 2015 period where government officials were actually sentenced to jail for involvement in human trafficking... I've never seen any that I can recall.

 

[brucec64]

Does that also include military officers?

 

I didn't think so...

[Rykbanlor]

Thats because the governments idea of "action" seems to be making announcements, or "vows" and "claims" of what they intend to do via the media. Following through is reserved for their game on the fairway.

[colinneil]

NCPO can issue whatever order it wants.

To much money involved for certain high ranking officials for it to be stopped.

[NongKhaiKid]

Thailand's lifeblood,   TALK   !

[waldroj]

There is a former senior Thai investigator (currently residing somewhere in Australia) who might dispute those "bold" claims! 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/10/thailands-most-senior-human-trafficking-investigator-to-seek-political-asylum-in-australia

[tbthailand]

NCPO will issue order to tackle human trafficking

 

... and make it even more profitable... 

[tbthailand]

7 minutes ago, waldroj said:

There is a former senior Thai investigator (currently residing somewhere in Australia) who might dispute those "bold" claims! 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/10/thailands-most-senior-human-trafficking-investigator-to-seek-political-asylum-in-australia

 

'As well, the investigation he led was disbanded after just five months, despite Paween insisting it was far from finished.'

 

Sad, ... very, very, very sad... 

 

Nothing is going to change. 

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, brucec64 said:

Does that also include military officers?

Arrested for prosecution in human trafficking:

- January 2015 an unnamed navy officer                                                                                                                                                   - June 2015 three-star army general Manus (originally ISOC commander)                                                                                          - September 2015 navy officer Cmd. Kampanart  and ISOC army officers Col. Nattasit, Cpt. Visoot and Cpt. Santhat

All apparently part of the 10% of the human trafficking cases in 2015 not yet prosecuted.

[mike324]

I think folks are being too negative, at least investigations are ongoing compare to the past where you can't even bring a case against these police/army officers.

[klauskunkel]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will issue an order to take bold action against government officers who have been involved in human trafficking. 

To the National Council for Peace and Quiet: Appreciate the sentiment. Could you possibly define "bold action", is it more uncomfortable than "inactive post", for example?

[heybruce]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

 

Arrested for prosecution in human trafficking:

- January 2015 an unnamed navy officer                                                                                                                                                   - June 2015 three-star army general Manus (originally ISOC commander)                                                                                          - September 2015 navy officer Cmd. Kampanart  and ISOC army officers Col. Nattasit, Cpt. Visoot and Cpt. Santhat

All apparently part of the 10% of the human trafficking cases in 2015 not yet prosecuted.

Funny how "justice" moves very fast when it's in the junta's interest and very slow when the junta doesn't really want justice.

 

To be fair, this didn't begin with the most recent coup.  Those who are rich and/or well-connected could always count on an extremely accommodating judicial system. Unless they were out of favor with more powerful people.

Edited August 19, 2016 by heybruce
additional commment

[heybruce]

1 hour ago, mike324 said:

I think folks are being too negative, at least investigations are ongoing compare to the past where you can't even bring a case against these police/army officers.

The investigations only happened because the issue made headlines internationally. 

 

LtGen Manas and friends were charged because the junta claimed that human trafficking was being perpetrated with involvement by police and local politicians while the military was completely innocent.  The RTP produced irrefutable evidence that Manas was involved.  After that the junta stopped blaming the police.  It's risky turning on your partners in crime.

[Squeegee]

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                    

[jaltsc]

 "The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will issue an order to take bold action against government officers who have been involved in human trafficking. "

 

That should help with unemployment. A few hundred openings for government officers and more prison personnel to guard the ones convicted.

 

Only kidding. Nothing is going to change. Expect to read the same government statements often in the future.

Edited August 19, 2016 by jaltsc

[mike324]

2 hours ago, heybruce said:

The investigations only happened because the issue made headlines internationally. 

 

LtGen Manas and friends were charged because the junta claimed that human trafficking was being perpetrated with involvement by police and local politicians while the military was completely innocent.  The RTP produced irrefutable evidence that Manas was involved.  After that the junta stopped blaming the police.  It's risky turning on your partners in crime.

 

Please provide a news source where the junta claimed LtGen Manas was innocent, that would be an interesting to read.

[heybruce]

49 minutes ago, mike324 said:

 

Please provide a news source where the junta claimed LtGen Manas was innocent, that would be an interesting to read.

Pay attention to sentence structure and verb tense.  Clearly what I meant was that before LtGen Manas was charged by the RTP the junta claimed that the human trafficking was supported my local politicians and the police, but that the military was not involved.

 

Manas turned himself in on June 3, 2015.  On May 29 2015 we had this:

 

"Amid insistence by different quarters that Thailand must take steps against its army and police officials for involvement in human trafficking, deputy prime minister Tanasak Patimapragorn denied having found any army personnel's link with the trade."

 

""We agree that high ranking officials were involved in trafficking of people. There are police among them. But so far, we haven’t found any army officials to be involved in this," General Tanasak, who is also the foreign minister of the country, said at press conference during a Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean in Bangkok."  http://www.nationmultimedia.com/asean&beyon/Army-link-with-trafficking-not-found-yet-Thai-depu-30261199.html

 

Five days before Manas turned himself in the deputy PM insisted there was no evidence of army involvement in human trafficking.  Is that good enough for you?

[Winniedapu]

OK you lot, listen up. Let the soldiers go first, quick, before the press get here...

 

My name is ex-general Prayuth. And I say you have to stop it.

 

Job done.

 

Winnie

[Srikcir]

20 minutes ago, heybruce said:

Manas turned himself in on June 3, 2015.

Six years before Manas turned himself in, he was alleged to be involved as an army colonel with ISOC in secret operations with Rohingya migrants according to a news article published in January 2009. The Royal Thai Army never brought a defamation suit against the publishers nor did it appear to investigate Manas' covert activities with of the most human trafficked people in the world prior to 2015.

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/1814721/thai-general-faces-arrest-human-trafficking-six-years-after

[heybruce]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

Six years before Manas turned himself in, he was alleged to be involved as an army colonel with ISOC in secret operations with Rohingya migrants according to a news article published in January 2009. The Royal Thai Army never brought a defamation suit against the publishers nor did it appear to investigate Manas' covert activities with of the most human trafficked people in the world prior to 2015.

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/1814721/thai-general-faces-arrest-human-trafficking-six-years-after

Thailand has 1750 generals http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/SEA-01-011013.html  ,  Just imagine how many more Manas types are out there.

[mike324]

22 hours ago, heybruce said:

Pay attention to sentence structure and verb tense.  Clearly what I meant was that before LtGen Manas was charged by the RTP the junta claimed that the human trafficking was supported my local politicians and the police, but that the military was not involved.

 

Manas turned himself in on June 3, 2015.  On May 29 2015 we had this:

 

"Amid insistence by different quarters that Thailand must take steps against its army and police officials for involvement in human trafficking, deputy prime minister Tanasak Patimapragorn denied having found any army personnel's link with the trade."

 

""We agree that high ranking officials were involved in trafficking of people. There are police among them. But so far, we haven’t found any army officials to be involved in this," General Tanasak, who is also the foreign minister of the country, said at press conference during a Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean in Bangkok."  http://www.nationmultimedia.com/asean&beyon/Army-link-with-trafficking-not-found-yet-Thai-depu-30261199.html

 

Five days before Manas turned himself in the deputy PM insisted there was no evidence of army involvement in human trafficking.  Is that good enough for you?

 

It sounded like you said Manas was only charged because the Junta made the claim against the police. If the RTP had the evidence, it was good for them to release it. Both sides of the armed forces are corrupt as hell.

[heybruce]

22 hours ago, heybruce said:

Pay attention to sentence structure and verb tense.  Clearly what I meant was that before LtGen Manas was charged by the RTP the junta claimed that the human trafficking was supported my local politicians and the police, but that the military was not involved.

 

Manas turned himself in on June 3, 2015.  On May 29 2015 we had this:

 

"Amid insistence by different quarters that Thailand must take steps against its army and police officials for involvement in human trafficking, deputy prime minister Tanasak Patimapragorn denied having found any army personnel's link with the trade."

 

""We agree that high ranking officials were involved in trafficking of people. There are police among them. But so far, we haven’t found any army officials to be involved in this," General Tanasak, who is also the foreign minister of the country, said at press conference during a Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean in Bangkok."  http://www.nationmultimedia.com/asean&beyon/Army-link-with-trafficking-not-found-yet-Thai-depu-30261199.html

 

Five days before Manas turned himself in the deputy PM insisted there was no evidence of army involvement in human trafficking.  Is that good enough for you?

 

14 minutes ago, mike324 said:

 

It sounded like you said Manas was only charged because the Junta made the claim against the police. If the RTP had the evidence, it was good for them to release it. Both sides of the armed forces are corrupt as hell.

Human trafficking on the scale it was conducted (and probably still is conducted) could not have gone on without active participation from the military and police, among others.  Had the junta been good partners in crime and insisted neither the military or RTP were involved, I'm sure the RTP would have seen no need to provide the evidence it had against Manas.

 

Now that the RTP has demonstrated the ability and willingness to implicate the military in past and present crimes, the junta has shown no interest in reforming or finding high-level corruption in the RTP.  Funny coincidence, isn't it?

 

Of course the junta will crack down on corruption, just not in the military, or RTP, or the civil service, which they also want to keep on-side.  What's left?